>>17444374
Dwarven physiology is a marvel of nature. A typical dwarf, though muscled more heavily than a typical man, will have a minor layer of dense fat beneath its skin. This layer is a powerful insulator and also acts a energy store for when food becomes hard to find. It has been found that even when food is plentiful and one would expect for such creatures to become far more obese on the food stocks they stay relatively stable in weight and composition expending the majority of that energy by increasing their rate of growth and repairs of damaged tissue as well as growth of new cells. Dwarf muscles are thick bundles anchored to sturdy bones with heavily built joints. To nourish these masses dwarven lungs and hearts have grown to become large powerful organs that extract as much oxygen as possibly from their high-altitude dwellings.

The thick beards that are iconic to male dwarves are in fact an extension of the upkeep against the cold mountainous climates they often dwell in. A dwarven beard is not a secondary characteristic developed after puberty. It is in fact something that starts very shortly after his birth. As early as the age of ten a male dwarf will have facial hair that is equivalent to a full grown human male. This thick hair acts as a natural insulator for the airways of a dwarf helping to slightly heat the chilly mountain air, by holding body-warmth close to the torso. (Among females, the wide, full breasts serve a similar duty by way of the extra subcutaneous fat providing added thermal insulation to the heart and lungs.) A full male beard and moustache also serves as a crude natural air-filter, straining out dust and particulate matter. This would prove to be a unique benefit when the earliest recorded dwarves began to tunnel into mountainsides, and also explains why males, more often than females, do most of the stonework and mining dwarven culture is so widely known for.

>>17444381
The dwarven diet for several years was thought to be little more than goat and lichen scraped from rocks early on. However, a recent excavation has shown this far from true. Sites known to be campsites to early dwarves have had seeds, pollen and bones from nearly every type of flora and fauna found upon an alpine slope. This included more than a few plants thought to be lethal to a human. On the menu for many dwarves early on would have included such things as coldwater fishes, grasses, native tubers and small berries. To combat the poisonous nature that many wild plants have, dwarves have developed a filtration system that is beyond any humanoid. Large livers and kidneys are capable of processing numerous toxins that normally should be lethal. Their renowned fame of crafting potent spirits is an offshoot of this. To simply get drunk a dwarf has to drink easily twice the level a human would have to. Because of this, most dwarven alcohol is not brewed for the sake of inebriation, but more as a means of experimenting with various flavors, as a sort of culinary artform unique to their culture. Like so many other aspects of their physiology, their dentition is also unique. Thick enamel allows a dwarf to use its teeth to chew apart tough fibrous plants and cuts of meat that are considered inedible by other races. Modern dwarves still have these powerful teeth and now use them to chew upon plants that hold valuable medicinal or psychoactive extracts, or to simply have something to chew.

>>17444411
The dwarven lifecycle is a thing of solidly-defined and easily-followed steps really, though at times it might seem alien to a human or elf. From conception to birth a dwarf mother-to-be must wait around a year and three months for her child to be born. During this time dietary requirements for a mother to be are almost fantastical. A dwarven mother will consume large quantities of meat and fish, often even gnawing on the bones or grinding them down into a fine powder if need be, to obtain the vital minerals within. These rich meals are to help feed the growing child so it will have the same heavy build as its parents. In fact, it is not at all unheard of for a dwarf to consume things such as ground limestone for the calcium it contains.

Birth, like for all humanoids, is a dangerous affair that on more than a few occasions leaves mother and child dead. Should this young dwarf survive it will spend the first eight months to a year of its life suckling from its mother. Dwarven milk is an interesting fluid, with a thickness almost akin to fresh cream rather than the somewhat-watery milk produced by other races. It is rich with proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and other critical vitamins and minerals, and has a weak alcohol content to it, though it is uncertain whether this is natural or a byproduct of the dwarven diet. After it has been weaned off its mother's teat, this child is far heartier than most humanoid children and will quickly be able to walk on its own. Over the period of twenty years a dwarven child steadily progress till it looks much like an adult though, often they are still treated like a child and have yet to undergo what could only be called puberty for dwarves.

>>17444422
However, looks can be deceiving - a dwarf child is physically incapable of reproduction and is in fact far weaker than a true adult. Their bones though strong by a human standard are in fact slightly more breakable than an adults and mentally they often have trouble planning and thinking through an act. While a young dwarf would easily be considered the physical equal to a fully-adult elf or a young-adult human, by the standards of its own race, it still has far to go.

The onset of dwarven puberty occurs around the age of thirty. At this time a young dwarf will look and seem to an outsider to be a fully grown albeit slightly weaker than your average dwarf. The first and often largest telltale sign of a dwarf hitting this stage in life is a craving for foods high in protein, calcium, and other nutrients. At this time a dwarf will become seemingly possessed of a ravenous appetite, eating anything that isn't bolted to the floor, so to speak, to fuel the physical changes of a youth's body becoming that of an adult. In modern dwarven communities this is often handled by simply sitting the poor lad or lassie at a table and handing them whatever can be found. In ages past this most likely would have led to time when young dwarves would leave the clan for a period of time and gather foods, minerals and whatever else they could find that looked possibly edible and tasted alright.

>>17444432
These cravings can last up to five years much to the dismay of the young dwarf's parents. It has also been noted that during this time dwarven children tend to show a large creative urge that seemingly shows up at random. These periodic bursts of activity can result in surprisingly complex pieces of craftsmanship, and also seem to help maintain mental stability as it acts as an outlet for frustrations that a dwarf might feel as its body begins to change. During this puberty a dwarf will actually lose a portion of its hair (the beard for men, the head-hair for women), much to their shock and shame. Of course, this is something not unlike a human losing its baby teeth. In its place a much thicker version grows, that has mingled with the original hair color in the form of distinct highlights. These highlights are secondary sexual characteristics that advertise their suitability as a mate. Recent studies have shown that the diet of a dwarf during puberty will also, to a lesser degree, affect what colors, how many, and what sorts of patterns will develop in the new adult growth. This most likely is a remnant of their early development as a race, where such was a way to show that even when needing lots of nourishment, this dwarf was able to keep up with the demands of their furiously-changing body.

>>17444445
This process seems to be cyclic. Once a dwarf has gone through a gorging phase, it will undergo its "strange mood" phase, then proceed to lose its beard and have it re-grow in a new plusher form a few years after this. In total this can last anywhere from ten to fifteen years. After this a dwarf is now a fully grown member of its race and is as physically capable as any adult dwarf should be.

At this time it is also customary for a dwarf to pick a mate from amongst its kind. While outsiders often joke that this might seem to be something next to impossible as dwarven males and females allegedly look exactly the same (due to how relatively uncommon it is for females to leave dwarven communities and thus be seen by other races), this is not the case. To a dwarf it is as easy to spot a female amongst a mixed-gender crowd as it is for a human do the same in a room full of his own race.

>>17444454
Dwarves select mates based on physical fitness and toughness. Females tend to choose males that are capable at a craft or a dedicated soldier in this modern time while in the past it most likely was the dwarf that had the ability to bring home a large amount of food for a family. Dwarven males will choose a mate based upon qualities such as being well built (Not merely curvy as a sign of fertility, but as a fit individual overall), lustrous and well-kept hair, and their ability to work and maintain a home. Courting seems to be incredibly varied based on the particular clan, though it’s almost always a two way ordeal, with each side trying to win the other over equally, rather than one partner remaining the passive recipent of affections. A common practice amongst dwarfs that harkens back to their primeval days is the act of crafting a fine item to impress, or to retrieve something of value to, your future mate. Other things include feats of strength, endurance, and the usual repertoire of demonstrations of soundness of mind and body.

>>17444374
>>17444381
>>17444411
>>17444422
>>17444432
>>17444445
>>17444454
>>17444464

And that's all I've written so far. Still not sure how to finish it off - I wanna cover marriage, birth, and death cultural aspects, but I'm a bit blanked out on what to put down. Any ideas?

>>17444480
bump for help

bump

>>17444480
Nobody wants to contribute?

this is actually fantastic, OP.
Convinced me to play a 90 year old, married dwarf next time I DnD.

Have you considered the Dragon Age dwarf-style "returning to the stone" as a religious death belief?

>>17445270
Thanks. I've been compling and rewriting it for a long time now. It's mostly my own ideas, but refined-and-filtered through stuff I've seen /tg/ mostly agree-upon about dwarves.

And, sadly, I don't know much about Dragon Age.

>>17445355
well basically, the dwarves of Dragon Age don't beleive in any gods. they revere their anscestors as well as the "Stone" around them.
Most of their political dealings have to go through a council of elders who determine if this is what the anscestors want.
When a dwarf dies, his soul is said to return to the Stone, where it becomes a part of his former home, able to protect and nourish his people.

>>17445355
That said, I -have- been toying with the idea of somehow having the more "famous" dwarves (renowned craftsmen, mighty generals, benevolent kings, etc.) somehow have their bodies transmuted into stone and set up as some sort of "hall of honor" thing for future generations to learn of their lives and deeds... I'm just not sure how to work out the details.

>>17445446
I was kinda inspired by the recent post-Cataclysm events in WoW, and what happened to Magni Bronzebeard.

The idea of former kings and generals and craftsmen, their spirits locked in immovable figures of stone and gems, watching over and guiding the newer generation... just appeals to me somehow.

Hey OP awesome writeup!

How about the often mentioned "respect your elders" "respect the clan" "ancestral worship" as well as deity worshiping? As far as I imagine dwarves the clan and family should also be important.

Keep up the good work!

>>17445791
I was considering making mention of deity/ancestor worship when I covered marriage and death rituals, since the two are usually heavily intertwined.

Like I said, the hard part is working out the right details and how to word it properly so it fits with the rest of the piece.

>>17445791
>as well as deity worshiping?

Go with what Warhammer did: their deities ARE their ancestors, just their greatest ones.

Death rituals and treatment of the deceased are tricky to me. Aside from the notion of the greatly-honored dead being made into guardian statues, I'm not sure how to handle it.

I mean, most cultures bury the dead... but that might not work so well in a societly with such a emphasis on mining and digging and such - might be hunting for an ore vein and have the remains of Great Grandpa Ironleg land on your head.

Any clue how to navigate this dilemma?

>>17446308

There could simply be a Hall of the Dead/Ancestors in each dwarven city or hold. The likeness of each dwarf is crafted in a metal based on the dwarf's lineage or their position in society (stone for commoners/miners, bronze for nobles and/or soldiers, and iron for kings and heroes). That way the dead can be visited and you don't have to worry about the miners accidentally digging them up (since every dwarf would know where the hall is). It could be positioned in the center of the city/hold and could also serve as a temple of sorts.

>>17446308
Why not make huge rock tombs for them at the coldest peaks of forever snow or the deepest depths of the fortress? Clans can have their own tomb complexes

Rituals can be like showing off the greatest works of craftsmanship the deceased has created. Recounting his greatest deeds to the clan. Burying his favorite items or his greatest work with him. Reading out his deed and last wishes to the clan, like:
"He wished that *this and this work* he started be finished by his sons."
Then carving all of these important things into the stones of his tomb etc.

In D&D the life goal of most dwarfs is to leave a lasting mark on the world that is remembered in the long ages to come with the burial the clan must honor this.

I'll bump with some dwarf pictures. This thread is pretty interesting, mind if I use your ideas?

I use Dwarf Fortress style dorfs in my campaign (OCD, moods, etc.) and it has caused me to have to come up with some cleverness. Noble mandates making historical sense, alcohol dependency developed as an adaptation to low-oxygen air inside tunnels...

>>17446382
>>17446405
Hmm... so rather than bury the dead, they have a sort of communal mausoleum? I could see that. Commoners get more generic burial-vaults with metal plaques, while the aforementioned "great ones" get more elaborate tombs with statuary and such.

Hmm, that could be another tradition, albeit a bit morbid - carving the statue/forging the plaque of the deceased would be a task left to one's descendants. A sort of lasting eulogy.

>>17446473
Sure. Part of why I wrote it was to be shared, and hopefully get rid of the perpetuation of the sillier things /tg/ has dreamed up, like dwarven women having beards, or that sobriety is fatal to dwarves, or other such ridiculous joke idea.

how do dwarves and spiders get along?

because I am pretty sure giant spider silk is a major thing. dwarf fort tells me so.

>>17445446
Ever hear of the Buddhist monks who poison themselves and seal themselves inside a casket in an attempt to mummify themselves?

>>17446610

I recommend the use of battlefield metals such as bronze and iron rather than precious metals like gold and silver to use as plaques and bosses. I feel like the dwarves would rather be remembered as having the strength of iron rather than being wealthy.

Just food for thought.

What sort of weapons do your dwarves prefer?

>>17446705
Gold and silver are for beauty and to enhance the look of one's craft. They are not used except for rare moments, as such precious metals can fade, can tarnish, showing that nothing stays beautiful forever. Bronze and iron, those last, those stay strong. Yes, for the commoners' plague, they use bronze - and the nobles' ones are made of fine-polished steel.

As for weapons, they tey to lean towards the traditional, namely, weapons than can also serve as tools and vice-versa - axes, hammers, staves. Swords and spears are less common, but they aren't entirely foreign and unknown in their usage.

>>17446610
I meant that say the deceased has started working on something which is a piece of craftsmanship years ago it can be anything in his expertise a statue, a chest, a book whatever. He wants no work left unfinished so he one of his dying wishes that his relatives finish it. Well provided that the relatives share his field of expertise and do not feel "unworthy" or "incompetent" or something. I do not see why would that be morbid. I mean people do this in real life too like a son taking over his father's business after he retires/dies. I always imagined dwarves to be rather family oriented. In D&D it is said that if you made "true friends" with a dwarf (whatever that means) or made a huge favor to him some way like saving his life, then his whole clan will welcome you as honored friend wherever you bump into them.

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>>17446924
well, "finishing his tomb" and "completing his last work" would be two different things. While the latter would be done by whomever the dwarf himself chose, the former would be reserved purely for family.

I could see it considered an incredible honor (or a sign of the deceased's onset of senility, depending on which dwarves you ask) for a non-dwarf to complete an unfinished work.

>>17444422
>In fact, it is not at all unheard of for a dwarf to consume things such as ground limestone for the calcium it contains.


Op, I appreciate things like these.

In the encyclopedia of my own personal little homebrew setting I've got about three major "Breeds" or racial groups of dwarfs.

Surface, Traditional and Deep.

And one of the biggest defining factors between all three cultures (disregaurding skin/hair colour and subtle differences in build) is how willing they are to consume Dirt.

Surface Dwarves are the most commonly seen Dwarves by the deniziens of the Surface world and for the most part are born and spend their entire lives living above ground. Eating Soil for them for the most part is simply out of the question. If you're eating soil or even putting it in your food you're one of two things: Starving to death, or fresh out of the "Hole." Or worse yet; a combination of both who doesn't know any better.

>>17447056

Traditional Dwarves however spend a lot more of their time underground and offer a little lenience to their culture when it comes to the consumption of dirt: it holds similar connotation to eating something like Gruel or Porridge and it's seen as an acceptable and viable source of calories for the destitute or lower class.

Deep Dwarves however see absolutely no shame in it. These Dwarves spend their entire lives living in the deepest recesses of the earth and dirt to them is the equivalent of Rice to top siders. Deep Dwarves are by no means impoverished, starving, emaciated, humanoids that scrounge for scraps in the centre of the earth. They have a rich understanding of Underground Agriculture and raise various Tubers, Root Vegetables, Mushrooms, lichens, and underground fruits a long with raising a number of exotic subterranean animals: Aardvarks, Giant Wombats, Giant Olms, and a handfull of cave fish species. They simply see no point in not eating it. Deep Dwarven culture is livid with dishes requiring dirt: puddings, stews, poridges, cakes, biscuits, cookies, even roasts and bakes.

>>17447056
Glad you appreciated it - it's small details like that which I enjoyed slipping in as a way to subtly separate my Dwarves from just being "short hairy humans".

Hm... I like the ideas added so far. though it'll be a while before I have the free time to compile and rewirte everything so it fits the rest of the text properly. Many thanks, folks, you've been a big help.

Any other ideas you'd care to add or suggest before I go?

Same guy from >>17447056


But as for Dwarves and Beards, I'd like to add some personal input.


In the Warmer Dwarven climates or in paticularly harsh environments where a great flowing beard is dentrimental to work or everyday life. A short Beard could be seen as a Dwarf who is too preoccupied with Manual labor or other things his Beard could get caught in.

While a Dwarf with a long, flowing, and or magnificantly braided beard could be seen as a Dwarf who either Scofts at the ideas of danger and or over heating, or is so wealthy the don't need to work and can allow their beards to grow to their full extent.


An Example of this is I find quite charming is how the Dwarven emperor is depicted in Murals, Statues, and Obelisks in my setting: With a Greating flowing beard so immense that it splits off, reaching into all the worlds and nations of Dwarf and Man.

>>17447634
Well, personally, I kinda see a dwarf's beard as a symbol is his masculinity and maturity, not just social status (this is why, in my mindset, criminals dangerous enough to be banished from the clanhome - for some reason, dwarves have yet to think of the death penalty, I suppose - are first shaven, as a way to mark them as "separate" from decent society), so a short beard would, at best, be seen as immature or unmanly.

As for it getting caught in things or burnt or whatever, a dwarven beard is surprisingly durable compared to human hair, having a small measure of flame-resistance - though dwarves who do lots of forgework do tuck their beards behind the heavy leather aprons common to metalsmithing just in case. Avoiding overheating is simple too - rather than letting the beard spread out and lay over the torso naturally, it is bound and braided in order to provide "breathing room" to the skin beneath. But not cut. The closest a proper dwarf ever comes to shaving or cutting his beard is the use of a fine razor-toothed grooming-comb and a small pair of scissors, to shape the beard and trim away errant stray hairs and split-ends.

>>17447634

The thing is, typical Dwarves simply don't live in southern climates.

Those that do have super-conductive beards that act as heatsinks, channelling heat out from their body. They're also shiny and light, reflecting the energy of the sun away from them.

The beard is the dwarf's very life. A mountain dwarf's beard is fireproof and strong as steel, acting as a rudimentary welding apron in his work. In the cold, the beard keeps a dwarf warm. In the heat, the beard keeps them cool. Jungle dwarves' beards turn brown and dark grey and support moss and algae, acting as camouflage.

To a Dwarf, losing their beard can be worse than losing an arm.

In the Warlords of the Accordlands setting, dwarves grew out their beards until they can no longer serve their clan. Once a dwarf is incapable of service (due to old age or an injury), he shaves off his beard.

It's not necessarily an act of shame, it just means that the dwarf has done all that he could for his clan.

>>17447954

Need to make sure something doesn't get lost? Tie it to your beard. Airship crashed into the sea? The beard catches air pockets, keeping you afloat. Orc attack and you're unarmed? If its long enough, use your beard as a flail and beat them to death with it. Standards? Why? Just tie some symbols and ribbons into your beard, O king, and your shield-bearers will carry you aloft, keeping everybody in good morale. Arrows? Nonsense, the beard catches them.

>>17447954

I enjoy Op's explaination of Dwarf facial hair much more since it doesn't get out of "hand."

The idea of Dwarf prisoner's being shaved is also an interesting idea and I might just incoperate it into making Surface dwarf culture even more outlandish to underground ones.

>Jungle dwarves' beards turn brown and dark grey and support moss and algae, acting as camouflage.


Now we're just bordering on Troll territory, but I do like the idea of Jungle Dwarves.

Dwarves who underneith thick jungles and rainforests. Putting Great Culture and Economical importance in aquifers, dams, levys and in general water control and management due to their Dug in hobbit hole esque villages having flooding issues for centuries.

Master Masons, Jewlers, Gold smiths, tattoo artists and especially farmers: taking both Troll, Orcish, and Elven agriculture pratices and inovating them in use of Terrace farming. Growing Yams, Tarrow, and Even Rice on the Steepest of inclines. Their culture is a rich and interesting blend that borrows heavily between both traditional Dwarven lifestyle and Surface Dwarves.

They're easily recognizable from more temperate or colder climate fairing brethren by their distinct bronzed to cinnamon tanned skin and the vivid white tattoos that encircle their bodies.

>>17448017
While this is probably meant as a silly post, it does have one bit that sparked an idea for me - the bit about standards.

I could see dwarves who travel abroad braiding patterns or small trinkets into their beards as a sort of "dwarven nametag" to identify their clanhome to other dwarves they might meet along the way. It began with clan representatives doing so during formal or diplomatic visits to other clans - as time passed, certain clans became associated with certain styles and accessories, and recognizable by them alone.

"Eh? A triple-forked loop with turquoise and emerald studs? I know your people, it's the Stormboulder clan from the eastern sea-cliffs! Are you guys still having trouble with the harpy attacks like last year?"

Feral dwarves, those who have been cut off from civilization for extended periods of time underground, due to cave ins, earthquakes, what have you, use their beards to grow mosses and lichens to supplement their diets.

By applying thick muds and bits of decaying matter to their beards, then sprinkling spores onto it, they will have food in a few weeks time. Some dwarves even use highly poisonous ones, so that if they get eaten in the wilds, whatever got them will most likely die from the meal. Or to use as potent toxins to bring down large prey, refining the mushrooms into a thick paste and apply it to weapons.

>>17448271

>By applying thick muds and bits of decaying matter to their beards, then sprinkling spores onto it, they will have food in a few weeks time.

NOW WE'RE TALKING.

I like that. I like that a lot. I am in love with that idea.

I adore the idea of Dwarves having such hair combined with a natural tendancy to dig, burrow, and consume mushrooms that they can Grow (to an extent) a small crop of lichens or fungi on their beards.


Like how Feral/wild Humans have Curly hair/Wavy hair that gets puffy when it's hot in order to better circulate heat and sweat or some such thing.

>>17448271
>>17448333
I guess even dwarves need their version of the insane homeless bums who never wash and scavenge food from trashbins.

>>17448360

Not so much insane homeless guy, as savages using any means possible to make their lives a little bit easier.

I have a dwarven druid who does the same thing. Grows a thick layer of moss in his beard and hair, dotted with various mushrooms of all types.

Also, think about the poison mushrooms. Various creatures lace themselves with poisons so if something eats them, they either die, or get so sick they never want to eat one of those things again. If you are savage and feral, such practices would be very useful to keep your population from getting decimated by underground hunting creatures.

>>17448455
savage and feral aside, using poisonous mushroom extracts as a weapon coating seems plausible even for civilized dwarves, actually.

>>17448360

>Poor Dwarves Eating pouridge and other dishes made from dirt
>Growing Mushrooms and Fungi in their filthy Beards

EVEN THE HOMELESS ARE INTERESTING IN A FANTASY SETTING.

I have never played a dwarf under any system or setting ever. None of my players have either.
Everything that everyone has contributed in here, this makes me want to play one.

>>17448512

>savage and feral aside, using poisonous mushroom extracts as a weapon coating seems plausible even for civilized dwarves, actually.

I think it might be treated like how we treat Yoga or Long distance running or something.

Humans "can" long distance run for longer then anything animal on our given earth- It was a common tactic for Humans to simply jog their prey into the ground for a few days before killing them.

But now a days we only really ever use this ability in the olympics or track and field or jogging to stay in shape.


What if a Few Dwarfs Just Enjoy Growing Mushrooms in their beards as a Hobby?

I would Imagine Dwarven Culture would be split amongst themselves on the topic of Mushroom beards given how potentialy unhygenic it is.

Some Dwarves would see it as disrespectfull to ones self image since you're essentially letting your beard fester and become a filth pile.

Other Dwarfs might just see it as a fashion statement or even just a fascinating Hobby in order to bring a little Nature into the Busy Urbanizied life of a City Dwarf.

You know- Growing Beard Mushrooms instead of Bonsai trees.

Dwarves? They're those squat guys, right?

>>17448557
Glad we could help.

Bumping because I love this thread and everybody who posts in it.


I'm pretty sure the combined ingenuity of /tg/ could revitalise any race/species/class/anything.

>>17448926
Well, like I said, most of the stuff is stuff I've picked up and adapted from countless /tg/ discussions over the years.

>>17448926
But if someone does decide to try something like this with another race... please make a separate thread for it - I'd prefer to keep this thread dwarf-only if possible, if only for the sake of keeping my notes organized.

hey OP are you familiar with Terry Pratchets Dwarves?

>>17449219
I am... and in my opinion, they, much like the DF ones, don't really seem to feel like they fit outside of their particular setting without standing out and being a bit discordant.

>>17449219
>>17449264

What are Terry Pratchet's Dwarves like?

>>17449264
agreed, but i love some of their traits, like the scone of stone and what not, very fun stuff! and dwarven baking is a must.

>>17449291

Somebody post the "Dwarven Work" page. It is a must.

Oh, btw.

>>17443226

This is for the thread that also found out how Dwarfs make Alcohol from Mushrooms.

All in all this is a pretty good day for Studying Dwarves.

>>17449288
there's pretty much every dwarf stereotype turned up to 11. they're obsessed with gold, the women and men are not only both bearded but basically identical to the point that a female actually acting female (wearing a skirt and makeup, etc.) is like being openly gay, they bake "bread" that is basically inedible and usable as weaponry, they're so focused on mining that that have no generic word for "rock" and the closest equal to "king" in their tongue is "senior engineer"... shall I continue?

>>17449322
As noted in that thread and earlier in this one, the dwarven physiology is notably much hardier than that of other races, and, as a side-effect of this causing them to be much more difficult to inebriate, dwarven brewcrafting has become a sort of artform not too unlike human winemaking - much experimenting with various herbs and additives to create unique and distinct flavors and blends, not simply a means to get something to make you drunk.

>>17449389

>they bake "bread" that is basically inedible and usable as weaponry,

No.
I already hate them. Dwarven should be as masterfull, glorious, and magnificant as every other craft they do.

>no generic word for "rock" and the closest equal to "king" in their tongue is "senior engineer"...

This sounds like it'd be interesting to explore if we ever dwell deeper into Dwarven dialects and languages.

>>17449416
dude, the bread is made to be that way. it is a thing of dwarves pride really,

>>17449411
And, just like wines and spirits, dwarven brews often have recipes unique to certain families that are passed down through generations and jealously guarded. And, of course, there are often fans and supporters of certain families' brews who shun those made by their chason brewmasters' rivals.

Surprisingly, however, despite this, and despite nondwarven tales of such things occuring regularly when they travel abroad, bar-fights within dwarven communities, especially ones of which is "best" among certain brews, are actually somewhat rare, though not entirely absent. This is because, for the most part, a barkeep and his establishment try to remain neutral, and thus carry many varieties, unlike those outside the clanhomes, where the selections are often more narrow in spread and thus more likely to be short a dwarf's chosen favorite.

>>17449411
It is even rumored by some that certain brewmasters actually practice a form of alchemy using their brews as a focus, and can create ales and lagers of such remarkable quality that they have magical properties of healing, physical enhancement, and even more fantastic feats.

>>17449592

I just sort of picture Dwarven Baking to be (depending on what kind of Dwarven culture we're talking about) a mix of french, german, and middle eastern.

Just, like, amazing Scones and Baguettes and each loaf of bread is as warm and comforting as the soft glow of a forge. As Golden and as pleasing to they Eye as Polished Brass. With an outter crispy crust that crumbles away like Feldspar when you bite into it and a Pillowy, soft, squishy, juicy, doughy centre thats as hearty and savory as fresh, wet, clay.


If Dwarves are gonna make something, they gotta make it fucking good. Perfection.

>>17449826
... i have the weirdest food-boner...

>>17444381
> beards
Female dwarves would have beards if only to keep children warm in them, also the child sandwiched between the beards of the mother and father as they all sleep.

Also maybe in pre-history the dwarves would find diggable patches of earth on a mountain plateu or mountain side, which while incredibly windy outside of the excavation would be calm(er) within, and thus their obsession with digging and clan-families began. Protecting your patch of dirt on a barren rocky waste would be serious business, and anyone who could dig rock through the use of crafting a bone pick was the baddest mother fucker on the hill.

>>17449826
And now you see one of the advantages of a dwarven wife - they're just as dedicated and skilled at keeping house and cooking as the men are at minework and smithing.

>>17449938
maybe female dwarves are skilled at crafting small toys, mechanisms, and trinkets as well as the standard stuff? it'd liven them up a bit IMO

>>17449934
An interesting paradox is the Dwarven historical record. Despite most clanhomes keeping meticulous records of births and deaths and marriages, even to the point where some clanhomes can actually trace back to where they split off from an earlier one that either had nearly died out and had the survivors reestablish elsewhere or had merged with/split from another clan, it is the earliest of records that are lacking in their thoroughness. The earliest recorded Mountainking (the dwarven term for the highest ruler over all the clanhomes in a certain region), and well as the names of his Grand Council (the collective name for the gathering of each of the rulers of said clanhomes together as they serve the role of the Mountainking's advisors) has no name, it having been lost to time through years upon years of copying and re-recording of old manuscripts as errors and lost text inevitably and unavoidably slipped in. He is simply spoken of now as the High King, and hs advisors as the First Council.

>>17449874
>>17449938

Don't even get me started on Dwarven COOKING.

>>17449988
Oh of course. While there are no strict "gender lines" about who can do what, the "traditional" portraits of the male at the forge with his hammer and the female at the hearth with her cookpot still have a deep influence on younger dwarves, so while it is rather uncommon to see a "stay at home dad" or a "breadwinner mom", it's not unheard-of.

Typically though, the female dwarf tends to focus her creative skills on home-life - stitching-up dolls and carving wooden carts for the children, quilting blankets and sewing clothing, and of course trying out new recipes to surprise and satisfy family and friends.

In light of this, it should be no surprise to learn that, outside of the typically-male fields of stonecutting and metalworking, many artistic fields in dwarven culture are led by women, such as music, literature, and portraiture. Maybe well-know brewcrafting families are even spearheaded by the family's matriarch, either personally or by using recipes she created.

>>17450216
>Maybe well-know
ugh, typo. "Many well-known", rather.

Keep the questions coming folks, I've still got a little while before I plan to head to bed.

OP, do your dwarves sleep like normal humanoids?
Also, are there any materials / valuables that they hold higher than others?
I'm absolutely loving everything you've done here. It's amazing. This is why I love /tg/

>>17450533
Well if you're asking if they have beds or do they do something crazy like hang by their toes bat-style, then the answer is the former. They're not that different from most humanoids, though their perception of the typical day/night cycle can sometimes be a bit skewed if they spend too long underground without some sort of way to reference outside lighting - this is why all but the most seclusional clanhomes have at least a few passages carved out from the inner caverns where the dwellings are to the outside of the mountain; these serve not only as a minor source of natural light as as a timeframe-reference, but also serve as ventilation holes to prevent excess smoke and such from forges and cookfires from building up dangerously.

As for valuable materials, well, obviously, they hold the strength and durability of iron and granite and marble in quite high regard, and for decorative purposes small gemstones and the addition of delicately-wrought gold and silver to objects - even those meant for children, who are thus taught early about the values of metals and gems - are somewhat common, but typically, from an aesthetic viewpoint, well-polished steel and bronze are favored, as they do not tarnish and dull as easily as "precious metals", and share similar durability with the prized iron. It is in fact not uncommon to see even a king's crown crafted of high-polished steel or bronze and accented with gold and silver, rather than made wholly of gold as among human royals.

>>17450655
>bronze
I derp'd. I constantly confuse bronze and brass. My bad. Meant brass.

>>17450714
derp x2... forgot mah trip.

bumpington

>>17450827

We need to think of Dwarven topics we have yet to discuss.

Interaction with other sentient races/species
The Difference between Dwarven "surface homes" and Hobbit Holes
Dwarven agriculture/husbandry

>>17450838
>Agriculture/husbandry

Obviously, aside from very specalized crops such as mushrooms, some types of tubers, and certain varieties of edible mosses/lichens, it's damn difficult to grow stuff underground. Doubly so for livestock.

So there are surface-level farming areas and such for the purposes of raising animals and growing crops. However, unlike human settlements, cows and pigs are not common, or acclimated, to the mountainous areas dwarves call home. Sheep and goats however, manage quite well, and thus mutton and chevon take the place of pork and beef at the dwarven tablescape.

Crops, aside from the aforementioned shrooms and tubers, are also surfacegrown, commonly wheat, fruit trees, and assorted vegetables. However, years of selective planting have resulted in hardier and more cold-resistant crops, at the small sacrifice of some quality of flavor. Thus, to offset the slightly bland nature of dwarven crops, their cooking is rather big of seasoning, with various spices, broths, and marinades employed to liven up the flavor of their dishes. While not to the same degree a brewmasters do, some families also create "signature" spice blends or marinades whose recipes they keep close-to-heart and only share with family. Indeed, it's often considered the true sign of being accepted into her beloved's family, when a new dwarven bride is allowed to see inside her mother-in-law's cookbook.

feel free to archive this anytime you wish, guys. I know a few of you are considering it.

>>17450968

>Doubly so for livestock.

Have you considered adding some subterranean animals to your repertoire?

Dwarf fortress has a whole bushel of them and Even Dragon age Origins has Horkers and those Rhino thingies.

>>17451073
I've considere it, but couldn't think of any, and since I'm trying to style this pretty openly so it can have details added to fit any generic-fantasy setting, I'm hesitant to just invent new species from whole-cloth that's basically "mountain-pig" or "cave-cow" just so Thorgum Bronzefist can grab a bacon-double-cheeseburger when he goes on lunch-break at the mines.

>>17451121

Here's the "stock" animals I use for Traditional Dwarves:

Aardvark, Giant Wombat, Moles, Voles, Rats, of varying sizes, Giant Worms, Giant Cave Swallows.

Animals in a general rule of thumb are "usually" allowed to be "giant."

Giant Wombats and Aardvarks Fit the role of Cattle and Goats respectively, providing: Furs, Leather, Milk, and Meat.

Giant Worms would serve a similar purpose to pigs in a sense. Providing Large amounts of easily proccessed, nutritious, and platable meat that is juicy, succulent, and tender. Maybe even Leather or hides if you could get such a thing from a big enough worm.

Cave Swallows would essentially just provide eggs, meat, and maybe even act as very colourfull Hawks given their predatorial attributes.

>>17451177
I'm hesitant to abandon the "traditional" livestock of sheep/rams and goats, as those are capable of mountainous life, but adding the swallows and maybe worms could work well too - maybe not exactly as "farm raised" meat, mind you, but as a semi-regular sort found by killing wild specimens, yeah.

I can picture it, caveworm steaks nearly big enough as the entire plate, given the same treatment as the holiday ham - namely, uncommon and usually reserved for feast events.

>>17451253
and regardless of origin, preserving and storing the meat would be important - classical methods of salt-curing, brine-pickling, and cold-smoking work magnificently here.

Anyway, it's late where I'm at, so I'm gonna pack it in and hit the sack.

You know where to archive this, so go ahead and do so. I'm glad you've all enjoyed my work so far, and feel free to use any bits of it that grab your interest for your own games.


For Mountain, Clan, and Family, my bearded brothers.

>>17451253
>>17451278


Worm itself would be incredibly easy to butcher: Fillet it like a fish, pull out the guts in one go, and everything remaining should be juicy, fresh, succulent pink Worm Meat.

Cooking Worm meat is even simpler given that the beasts anatomy the slabs or cuts of meat should already be into perfectly slicable and fryable disk shabes slabs of pinkish flesh. These could be placed in a skillet to cook up and sizzle in their own fat, rolled in dough and light seasoning for deep frying, or thrown onto an open fire for barbecuing.

The most important thing with Cooking Worm is that it absorbs Flavor extremely well. Worm Meat by itself is very bland and flavorless like pork or chicken.

Due to this exact flaw Worm Meat is absolutely Excellent in Stews and Chillies: Paprika, Jalapenos, Aardvark Apples for sweetness, Pepper, Potatos, Beans, Tomatoes, followed with a thick tomato sauce, beans, and then finally a two dwarven handfulls of Thick, juicy, cut up, slabs of Worm meat.

It's important to throw in whole chunks of Worm Meat and not ground up- so that the meat can absorb the flavors from the peppers, apples and the sauce. The beans can be supplimented with soil if you're serving Deep Dwarves.

>>17451462
So worm meat... is basically SPAM?

>>17451527

Yes, except it has the texture of a Soft Steak.

>>17451552
That... actually sounds tasty.

To a lesser degree, I could also see dwarves fishing occasionally, either in mountain streams for trout and salmon and such, or in underground lakes for blind cave-fish.

>>17451579
>>17451579

I wouldn't Imagine Fish would be Very popular with Mountain Or hill Dwarves.

There'd be of course a small Market for "seafood" in the mountains from: Freshwater mussels, Cave Crayfish, Pike, Sturgeon, seasonal markets on salmon, Maybe even Fresh Water Turtles.

Though Dwarves living in the sides or mountains of Coastal Fjords. I could see entire Cities Carved into the sides of the Cliff sides offering a much wider array of Fresh Fish and other marine cuisine that would borrow from Northern european cultures and Eastern Canada: Whale meat, Seal Meat, Salmon all year round, Maybe the Odd Tuna, Octopus, Cod, Halibut, flounder.

Given the Nature of Dwarves I wouldn't put it past them to have Fish & chip shops a long with Bait and Tackle stores in such places. So that Dwarves and humans could practice and honor the Great Dwarven Art of "fishing."

>>17451777
and then there where viking dorfs. sailing in ships made of rock.

>>17450216

Ahhh some more ideas excellent.Im running a lv13 Dwarf Diviner right now and ive been looking to add a few quirks to his wife

This also makes me think about the Dwarven view on Magic.Im running a Diviner but with alot of Abjuration as well and banning "Distasteful" necromancy.I also figured it was pretty Dwarfy to grab a few magical item creation feats citing it as a long standing family tradition

For sugar you could use sugar from Beets.

What about their premiere cooking/confectionaries and baking?

>>17452041

I already sort of went into vivid food pornographic detail over here.

>>17449826
>>17451957

But For the most part Dwarves would probably get sugars from Beets and Tree Saps. (as mentioned by previous poster.)

Dairy products from Goats, Cattle, sheep and atleast in my opinion: Aardvarks and Giant Wombats.

>>17452119
Indeed. It suddenly made me very hungry for worm meat.

>>17452041
Dwarf bread has already been mentioned, and ale or beer-based breads would doubtlessly be very popular amongst dwarf clans. There would probably also be signature recipes here, as well.

Beet sugar would probably be very popular, but I don't see dwarves as regularly having enough beets to make a significant amount of ultra-sugary items such as icing. Sugar-laced confectionary would still be very popular, of course--especially in areas close to human settlements, as most Northern climates do not have much access to sugar at all. Icing and similar sugar-heavy items are probably reserved for special occasions or the truly rich.

That said, I could see dwarves being the primary source of sugar for a large area; since they actually have a reason to grow tons of tubers, and the patience and skill to process such tubers into actual sugar, it could end up being a huge export product for them.

Read this book, OP.

It's from a german Roleplaying game.

It's a book about their dwarven folks and different cultures.

Covers everything from the history, religions, eating and cooking, fun and differences, women and everything else.

>>17452988

Forgot Image.

Modern sugar beets date back to mid-18th century Silesia where the king of Prussia subsidised experiments aimed at processes for sugar extraction.In 1747 Andreas Marggraf isolated sugar from beetroots and found them at concentrations of 1.3-1.6%. He also demonstrated that sugar could be extracted from beets that was the same as that produced from sugarcane.His student, Achard, evaluated 23 varieties of mangelwurzel for sugar content and selected a local race from Halberstadt in modern-day Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. A man named Koppy and his son further selected from this race for white, conical tubers.The selection was named 'Weiße Schlesische Zuckerrübe', meaning white Silesian sugar beet, and boasted about a 6% sugar content.This selection is the progenitor of all modern sugar beets.

Marggraf's former pupil and successor Franz Karl Achard began selectively breeding sugar beet from the White Silesian fodder beet in 1784. By the beginning of the 19th century, his beet was approximately 5–6 percent sucrose by (dry) weight, compared to around 20 percent in modern varieties.

>>17454480
Suddenly dwarfish taming the wild Sea Beet into Beetroot and Sugar Beet and creating better varieties for efficiency

>>17454528
forgot image